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Streamer apps critical

I don't understand why high end manufacturers release streamers with terrible apps. One of the strongest advantages of the Nodes is the BluOS app. It's simple and effective,  though not full-featured. I understand the Innuos app is great. Not all of us like much less want to pay the cost of ROON and the online apps, like USB audio Player are clunky. I would love to see a paid-for version of BluOS or other manufacturers license a common but customized app, much as early versions of Windows were available from Dell, Gateway, Compaq and so many others. 

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Showing 1 response by rizzo1234

rizzo1234
15 posts
 

My experience with the apps on the multiple streamers that I have owned or had a chance to borrow has been:

1. Streamers OWNED for multiple years (Auralic Aries and Aries Mini):  Auralic Lightning DS: very good; no complains

2. Streamer CURRENTLY OWNED (Eversolo DMP-A6):  Eversolo app is at least as good as Auralic Lightning DS

3. Bluesound Node borrowed and used only as a streamer:  App was generally better than the Auralic or Eversolo apps, but two bugs (Benchmark DAC compatibility via USB and album art size limitations at that time) caused me to return the product.  Disappointing.

4. Wiim Ultra borrowed and used only as a streamer:  App was unacceptable.  1.  Cannot search across streaming and local (NAS) content (deal-breaker);  2.  Album art on local content would not appear regardless of a number of attempts to change some relevant settings on my NAS.  Note that both of these items work perfectly on the Eversolo and Auralic apps.  Overall system response of the Wiim Ultra was much slower than the Eversolo and Auralic streamers, but this might be hardware related.

My verdict:  The Eversolo app is the winner by a very small margin.  The Auralic app is also very good.  More or less a tie.  Also, both apps are extremely stable.

I have never tried Roon, but the idea of having to run a separate to computer as a core is totally unappealing to me.  My preference is to use a streamer with an app that does its best to not get in the way!

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